


Seize the Day

by unofficialsherlockian



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Paternal Lestrade, Set long after series 3, lestrade is proud of Sherlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2013-08-09
Packaged: 2017-12-22 23:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/919283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unofficialsherlockian/pseuds/unofficialsherlockian





	Seize the Day

'So why the hell do you do it?' Lestrade asked, ducking under the crime scene tape behind Sherlock. 'You keep on destroying your body with the drugs, no food, cigarettes...'

'You, of all people, can't say anything about the smoking,' Sherlock pointed out.

'I'm trying to quit, I keep telling you,' Lestrade muttered. 'What's the point of trashing your body if you have such a great mind, if you could clearly be someone great?'

And Sherlock had turned and looked into his eyes. 'Carpe diem, Lestrade.'

 

Two years later, Sherlock was off the drugs at Lestrade's request. 'You can't seize the day if you're not even alive for it,' Lestrade said in their final argument. 

Sherlock seemed alot healthier. He was doing better, making money, keeping up with the rent. He still, however, was way too mcuh of a risk-taker for Lestrade's liking.

'You're throwing yourself off buildings on top of criminals, chasing down armed men without my back up, and sneaking into drug dens without at least telling me first.'

'Carpe diem.' Sherlock looked at Lestrade. 'Got one life. Have to spend my days well, don't I? If the chance to catch these people is there, I'm going to take it.'

Lestrade sighed, thinking that at least Sherlock was improving.

 

This man who was with Sherlock praised him quite a bit. At Doctor Watson's words, Sherlock showed a happiness that Lestrade had never seen before.

He supposed that this was another way of Sherlock's philosophy to seize the day.

Days like this didn't come often. This was the first time Lestrade had met someone willing to stay with Sherlock-besides himself, mad as he was. Lestrade decided it might be time for him to exercise some carpe diem.

'Sherlock Holmes is a great man;' He told John, 'and I think one day, if we're very very lucky, he might even be a good one.'

And in that day, Lestrade put all his faith in John Watson.

 

He hasn't been disappointed since.

It's over a decade since he's met the mysterious young man, Sherlock Holmes, and watched him grow into a good man. He's seen him be willing to die for his friends, and do everything he can to support victims' families. He's seen Sherlock talk young people out of killing themselves, change people from going down the same self-destructive paths that Sherlock had gone down.

It was almost daily that the thought crossed his mind that he saw Sherlock as almost a son to him. And it was with pleasant surprise the first time it happened that Lestrade realized he would be proud to have Sherlock as his son. He'd watched this boy grow into a man, watched a great man become good, seen Sherlock Holmes become nothing short of a legend, and still journey towards becoming better everyday.

'Why did you do it?' Sherlock asked, one day over coffe. 'Why did you ever trust me that day? I was a stupid drug addict, off my mind, way too cocky. There was no way you could ever know that I would survive, let alone-' Sherlock gestured at the air '-do all this.'

'And no one else, well maybe Mrs Hudson, could be more proud of you for it,' Lestrade said, leaning back in his chair, and feeling a grin of pride spread across his face. Sherlock looked shocked. 

'But ... why did you even give me the chance in the first place?' Sherlock asked.

'Carpe diem,' Lestrade stated, grinning. he statement had meant so much to Sherlock's faults; it was more than time that seize the day meant something towards the man's successes.

A grin broke out across Sherlock's face, and Lestrade felt pride swell in his chest again. Taking the risk had been the best choice he'd ever made.


End file.
